Crème -Cover Girl - AquaSmooth SPF15 Make-up
lollylilly 12/6/2011 11:56:00 PM
I have been using this product consistently for over ten years. That's more than I can say for any other product in my beauty regime. I am constantly trying new things and am guilty of only using half of a product, or never buying something again even if I liked it. This foundation is just about the only thing I stick to. It isn't a miracle product, but I love it. It goes on very smoothly, it's easy and fast to apply, and the packaging is very simple. It also gives my face a nice healthy glow. The coverage is just right for me and it doesn't give my face that look that screams "I'm wearing foundation!" like most others do. In fact you can get very close to my face without even being able to tell I'm wearing any makeup, which I personally appreciate. If you have a lot of flaws to cover up, this might not be the best foundation for you, but I use this to give my complexion an even, healthy look, then apply concealer over it to hide anything I need to hide. I also love that it has SPF in it, since I'm a fair-skinned girl who is guilty of skipping SPF occasionally. I would definitely recommend this foundation, and plan to continue using it for a long time.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Boots - Original Beauty Formula Cleansing Milk
lollylilly 12/6/2011 10:54:00 PM
I was really expecting to love Boots' Original Beauty Formula Cleansing Milk, but was extremely disappointed. I usually like Boots products, but the only thing I really liked about the cleansing milk was the pretty vintage bottle. It looks nice on my shelf, but the product itself just doesn't cut it for me. First, the packaging is impractical and the cleansing milk, which has the consistency of a lotion, is difficult to get out of the bottle. Second, the smell is overpowering for something you put on your face, and honestly it isn't a very pleasant scent. That's coming from someone who isn't sensitive to smells and generally really enjoys products with strong scents, and especially anything with a floral or herbal scent. This was just too much. Third, it didn't do a very good job taking off my makeup at all. It took off maybe half of my foundation, and I didn't even dare try to use it on my eye makeup (I know better than to put something with that strong a smell anywhere near my eyes). Finally, I just don't like the way my skin feels after using this - kind of itchy and irritated. Overall I found this to be a very substandard product, and wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Loose Powder
lollylilly 12/6/2011 10:41:00 PM
Before discovering Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder, I used Mario Badescu Special Healing Powder. I really liked that and it was more affordable, but this is so much better. This is the only thing I've ever tried that can keep my forehead and chin oil-free all day. It also makes my complexion look very smooth and pretty when I use it over my foundation. I highly recommend this to anyone with oily skin. It costs a little more than most powders of this kind, but it's worth it. The only problem with it - if you have any dry patches, you have to avoid them or this will make them incredibly obvious and even drier. That being said - if you have problems with shine, this is amazing!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Make Up For Ever - Mat Velvet PLUS Matifying Foundation
lollylilly 10/12/2011 8:52:00 PM
I have to admit that I bought this foundation half expecting to return it, but I was pleasantly surprised. I goes on nicely and the coverage is wonderful. I dab dots of it on my forehead, cheeks, and chin, then use a foundation brush to spread it around. I still need concealer with it, but it covers better than most foundations. My favorite part is how matte my skin stays. Usually I get oily on certain areas of my face after a couple hours, but this kept my skin from getting oily for quite a while. I still needed to touch up, but it has pretty good staying power. The only downside is it really brings out any dry patches I might have - especially around my temples. If you have dry skin it probably isn't for you, but for anybody who is concerned about shine this is a great product.
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Mascara -Lancome - Hypnose Drama
lollylilly 10/12/2011 8:38:00 PM
I thought this was an absolutely terrible mascara. I've used four dollar mascaras that were way better. It's extremely clumpy - my lashes were all stuck together immediately. It also has tiny clumps in it that look really cheap and tacky. It also makes my lashes stick together when I blink. I returned it to Sephora and would not recommend this at all.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Unlisted Brand - Pretika Sonic Dermabrasion Facial Care System (Clarisonic dupe)
lollylilly 10/7/2011 6:01:00 PM
I bought this on a whim, took it home, and charged it for a full day before using it. The green and red lights worked, but when I pressed the button to actually use it absolutely nothing happened. It was fully charged but would not work no matter what I tried. I looked at the reviews on Makeup Alley and was shocked at how many other people had the same problem. I returned it instead of exchanging it - it's obviously a very poorly made product.
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Mascara -Maybelline - Full 'N Soft Mascara
lollylilly 10/7/2011 5:49:00 PM
This is my favorite mascara for daily wear. It really does keep your lashes soft which is very important to me. My eyes get irritated easily so any mascara that makes my lashes stiff bothers me after a few hours. I generally use two coats of this during the day and it defines and volumizes my eyelashes nicely, and it's never clumpy or flakey. I also love that it looks natural - it's hard to find a mascara that can give you thicker, longer lashes but not scream "I'm wearing a lot of makeup." The waterproof version is good too - both versions really stay put until I use my makeup remover. I have nothing but good things to say about this mascara!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -Rimmel - Natural Bronzer- 21 Sun Light
lollylilly 10/7/2011 5:40:00 PM
Rimmel Natural Bronzer is the only bronzer I'll use. I have very fair skin so any other bronzers I've tried look very orangey or dirty on my skin. This gives me a really nice, healthy glow without it being obvious that I'm wearing bronzer. I also love that it's matte - most other bronzers I've tried have sparkles in them that look very silly when you're out and about during the day or at work. I would highly recommend this to other fair skinned girls looking for a pretty glow.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Cover Girl - TruBlend Microminerals
lollylilly 10/7/2011 3:54:00 PM
All I can say is thank goodness I tried this on my forearm before putting it on my face while getting ready in the morning. It is extremely glittery - not like a soft finishing veil shimmer - it looks like I put on actual glitter. Nothing a grown woman should be wearing anywhere except maybe a nightclub. And as far as coverage goes, I could tell even from just putting in my arm it provides no coverage against redness or imperfections. The packaging is also terrible - very messy and hard to use, with a cheap brush that doesn't feel good on your skin. This is hands down the worst foundation I have ever tried.
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Primer/ Corrector -Rimmel - Fix and Perfect Foundation Primer
lollylilly 5/4/2011 7:36:00 PM
This is an average primer. It makes my skin a little softer when I put it on, and does minimize my pores a bit. It doesn't really do anything for my fine lines though. I think my makeup does go on better when I put this primer on, but it doesn't help my concealer or foundation stay on longer and my face doesn't really stay matte. Overall it's an okay product that will do the trick, but there are other primers I prefer.
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Mascara -Boots - No.7 Lash 360
lollylilly 5/4/2011 7:26:00 PM
First I will say that if you're looking for a lot of volume or trying to look glamorous this is not the mascara you want to use. It doesn't really add a lot of volume or length, but I really like it on days when I'm dressing casual or hanging around the house. I love it because it doesn't clump at all and does a great job separating your lashes. It's also a good mascara for lower lashes. I often put on one or two coats of this mascara to define and separate my lashes, then put a volumizing mascara over it.
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Eye Makeup Remover -Maybelline - Expert Eyes Moisturizing Remover for waterproof Eye Makeup
lollylilly 4/26/2011 10:40:00 PM
I liked that this eye makeup remover was moisturizing, but it's lacking a lot. It took far too much work to take off all of my makeup, although if I used a couple cotton balls and swiped it several times I successfully got it all off. I also liked that the oiliness of the product kept it from tugging too much at my eyelashes. However it left the area around my eyes completely oily. That's okay at night I suppose, but if I needed to use it in the morning to take off any leftover eye makeup, I had to wipe down my eyes with really warm water just to take the oil off so I could put on makeup and not look completely shiny. Overall I'd say it's a tolerable product, but there are other inexpensive eye makeup removers that are better.
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Eye Makeup Remover -Rimmel - Gentle Eye Make Up Remover
lollylilly 4/26/2011 10:22:00 PM
This is a very average eye makeup remover. It did remove most of my eye makeup, but I felt it tugged at my eyelashes too much and took too much work to get my mascara off, especially if it was waterproof. I also didn't like that I still always had dark circles under my eyes when I stepped out of the shower, even though I thought I took off all my makeup the night before. For a cheap eye makeup remover it will do the trick, but there are much better kinds out there for about the same price.
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Treatments (Eye) -Garnier - Skin Renew Anti-Puff Eye Roller
lollylilly 4/18/2011 10:02:00 PM
I'll keep it short and sweet: this product does absolutely nothing. I can safely assert that after using it for almost two years. That's the only positive thing I can say about it - one tube lasted me years (I can't throw things away without using them, and since it wasn't doing me any harm either I figured why not dab it on in the morning). I like the concept of the roller and the packaging, but this product doesn't help puffiness, fine lines, or circles. Rubbing water under your eyes in that roller would have done exactly the same thing. Don't waste your money.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -L'Oreal - Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base
lollylilly 4/18/2011 9:55:00 PM
I found a sample of this product in a magazine and loved it so much I went right out and bought it. Going on it's quite thick and might seem a little scary, but after you blend it in with your fingertips it had a wonderful texture. My skin always feels so soft and velvety, and looks and stays matte. The first few times I used it I could not stop running my fingertips over cheeks because they were so soft. That being said, I really wish they would find another way to package this product. It's a glass jar that I hate dipping my fingers into - it feels unhygienic and you kind of have to get your fingers under the rim of the jar once you use up some of it. It also gets under my fingernails every time I reach in the jar, and I keep my nails short. Aside from the packaging, I really love this product and will continue to use it.
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